Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Usually I come up with an idea the night before my post. But last night, I had nothing... and some days are like that. Guess I could have pulled from the past ... like I did in partyesterday... But yesterdays was an answer to a questionsomeone had about my mother's horse, so thought it wasworth of a blog story. About a horse that was valued at nothing, and made a great deal out of himself in his life. Much like some people. Anyway, later I put the blog out of my mind, andso had nothing to put here ... so you open to yesterdaysonly... Some days... you just don't want to.. and guessingto day is that day, for me. So get outside and enjoy the sunshine..

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

In
1950, my mother and a friendwent to a horse auction in New York.Across came a dark grey tall horse.17 hands. He was a steeplechasejumper in Ireland. But he had somedamage done on the way over toAmerican on the ship. It effectedhis breathing. So endurance raceswere not going to be his suit anymore.He went pretty cheap. I think she saidhe cost her $100. Pretty low for a horseof his experience. She was the only bid.

But
no one wasreally
interested in him as he wasdamaged as they said. Should go to

the
slaughter house, they said.. not any

good
to anyone.. But my mother thought

other
wise.. she was in love.

He was called Holy Smoke. Becausethat is what Mom said when she saw him,just as everyone else had, when theyapproached him. My mother wouldget up on the chicken coop jump whenshe had to get on him by herself.Otherwise, someone had to boost her on.

There was a 16+ year love affair withHoly Smoke and Mom. She wonclass after class. Year after year.He did so well, I can rememberhaving to sleep in the barn beforea few show, with my girlfriend. Theywere afraid someone might comeand give Smokey (as we called him)a shot. Even through the moneywas not really big in those day, theprestige was.

Smokey was a sweetheart, hecould be ridden by a child, he wasso mild. A child could walk underhis tall legs, and never have toworry about him stomping. Hewas a baby. The only flaw thatSmokey had was he could noteat green grass. Yep, he gotcolic in a flash. We spend manya nights walking him for hours.Putting on the twist, so wecould get the meds down him.Which was a dandy trick whenall he had to do is raise his headand no one could reach him.
We would all take turns walking him

thru the night..

Holy Smoke won New EnglandChampion Jumper for 5 yearsstraight. He was a proud horse.And when he entered the ring,he came alive. Dancing as he gotready for the jumps. He flew overthem with such ease. Yep, for

a
horse they thought should go to

the
slaughter house, he did pretty

darn
good.

Smokey died at the age of 28,he was retired to Mom and Dad's

new
farm.He had a donkey for a pal. Andhe seem to keep the young Hackney'sthat the folks switched to in their 50's.all in line, when they act up. He was theold man of the new farm. They seem torespect him.